Title: Rock On
Author: ferretgirl-1124
Pairing(s): SpeedyxAqualad
Genre: Humor, Romance
Rating: PG-13
Warning(s): Slash, AU
Disclaimer: I may not own them, but that doesn't mean I can't rent them out long enough to play with 'em. It also doesn't mean that I can't horribly skew their little world when the fancy strikes me.
Word Count: 1,348
Summary: Sometimes the tabloids are right.
A/N: Repeat after me; 'this will not be a universe. This will not be a universe'. Oh, and this was heavily influenced by 'Your Guardian Angel', so you should at least glance at the lyrics for that while reading this. You have no idea how many times I tweaked this fic…and I'm still not content with the end. Damn. Anyways, I'm fairly attached to the idea behind this. The whole concept was just fun. The only real reason I'm posting this is because I'm hoping other people will take the idea and roll with it. (grin).
Suggested Music: Marie Serneholt – That's The Way My Heart Goes, anything by Fallout Boy, OK GO - You're So Damn Hot, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus – 'Your Guardian Angel'.
"The band got together when I was 19. You know the age…I thought hair gel was the end all and be all of fashion, and every girl I saw was my true love. But I've matured; now hair gel and tight pants are my fashion, and everyone is my true love." – Quote from an introductory speech given by Roy Harper, lead singer of Straight Arrows at the Steel City pavilion
"What was my first thought when I met SA? Well, I thought Roy was a pompous ass. Still do, actually, but I know now he's a pompous ass with a good heart. At least, he has one around one person." – Quote from an interview with Jinx, Drummer for Heroines
"No, I wouldn't call Roy bi. I would call him…'sexual'. None of the labels really fit him, because he's just about sex." – From an interview with Dick Grayson, Straight Arrows bassist, given during the first tour
…The hit bands Straight Arrows and Heroines are scheduled to perform at Jump City Art's Center on the 5th. Tickets will go on sale in two days, and are expected to sell out within the week. The popular Double-header is on it's second tour, and have been performing together for the past three years. Wayne Studios commented on the arrangement recently, stating that "The bands have worked together perfectly thus far, and we have no plans to change the set-up." They then went on to say…- Excerpt from the 'Jump City Star' June issue
The mix of Straight Arrows and Heroines was known as one of the raunchiest shows in the country. They sold out where ever they went, performed to the sounds of thousands of screaming fans, and usually lost at least a few pieces of clothing during the run to the buses.
Of course, both bands had different ways of expressing that sexuality, and very different appeals. Heroines was known for their pop lyric-rock music contrast, and their sweet but sexy lead singer, Kori Anders, while Straight Arrowswas all pretty boys and catchy lyrics. Very pretty boys.
SA was made up of Garth Curry – long haired, barefooted guitarist -, Garfield Logan – tall, blonde, lanky, and rhythmical-, Dick Grayson – enigmatic bassist who was never without sunglasses -, and their leader singer, Roy Harper, who could shake his ass like nobodies business and looked damn good without a shirt.
Their fellow headliner was a five member, all female group. Besides Kori Anders, there was Rachel Roth – nicknamed Raven and a natural at the bass -, Toni Monetti – New Zealand guitarist -, Karen Beecher – guitarist and eccentric -, and Sunita Manohar, the drummer that kept her hair pink and usually went by the name 'Jinx'.
The two bands had toured together since SAhad been signed to Wayne Studios three years ago, and their chemistry had been so good that they had been kept together even after they both made it big. After all, upper management knew a moneymaker when they saw one. Not only that, but they could save money on a manager; since the two bands traveled together, Victor Stone could easily handle both groups on his own.
The current performance was in Jump City, a nice ocean-adjacent place on the west coast, and Roy was looking forward to some beach time before they left. Unfortunately, he was one of the biggest rock stars in the world and had a far-reaching reputation as a sex god. He certainly wouldn't argue with said reputation, but having it did nothing to decrease the tensions between himself and a certain someone.
With a sigh and a stretch the singer sat on the catwalk, eyes scanning the crowd sprawled out beneath him. He did this every concert, reading the crowd and getting himself in the zone, and it had become his signature thing, to the point that his band mates knew that if they wanted to speak to him before a concert, they'd have to go up a few levels. Tonight, though, Roy was fairly sure he would be left alone, because everyone knew about the problems he was having. Of course, all problems related directly to his boyfriend of one year, Garth.
He had first laid eyes on Garth at a battle of the bands competition five years ago. He had actually collided with the other boy, and had looked up to see an angular face framed by a few strands of pitch-black hair, strands that had slipped out of the guitarist's ponytail, and huge dark eyes that almost looked purple. It had been love at first sight, at least for the redhead, and he had latched onto the taller boy, suddenly glad that their previous guitarist had split.
The strange, amazingly handsome boy had eventually joined them, and Roy had spent the next four years flirting, teasing, and taunting the other boy, trying to get any and all attention he could. The dark haired boy – though, really, he was a man by that point – ignored him, completely oblivious to the fact that he was Roy's muse and the only reason their band had broken away from mediocre lyrics and into the songs that made them famous. It wasn't until the redhead presented his band with the lyrics for their first and only love song that Garth realized Roy was, for the first time in his life, serious. That song was their secret, the beginning to the tumultuous and passionate relationship that had consumed them for the past year.
But now…Garth had become distant. The singer had always known the guitarist was jealous of the women that threw themselves at him, and angry that he played off of it, and they still had problems when Garth reacted to how he acted on stage, but lately it seemed like he just didn't care what Roy did, which hurt more then any of their fights had.
Below him, the jarring cords of last opening act ended, breaking him out of his thoughts, and roadies scurried to set up the stage for Heroines. That meant he had about an hour and a half before he was needed on stage, and about half an hour before someone came looking for him. Then it would be show time, i.e. an hour of dancing and singing and stripping, without really being into any of it. And then if they did an encore (which of course they would, the crowd wouldn't let them get away with any less) he would get to grind with Kori – because the encore always involved both bands on stage at once, something that made the watchers wild - and if he was lucky, get another pick thrown at his head.
Just for the record, Dick was way too jealous.
The redhead sighed again, both glad and regretful that no one was around to see his melodramatic mood, and glanced at the screen set up on the side of the stage. There was one on both side, and both displayed music videos that had messages running underneath it. Every few seconds there was a reminder of what number to text to if you wanted your message posted. Two minutes and five 'I 3 Roy Harper!' comments later, he began to get bored, realizing he had no more reasons or excuses to stay up there. He stood, preparing to return to backstage before they sent someone to get him, and froze, the current scrolling text catching his eye. 'R – Love you. I won't walk away. – G'
It was a brief, coded message, containing lyrics from their song, and he knew right away that he had nothing more to worry about. The other man always knew when he was stressing, and always knew how to make it better. That was why he loved him. An odd expression, one that was a mixture of contented smile and smug smirk made it onto his face and he strolled down the stairs into the arms of the person he loved the best, determined to work through their problems and make it work.
The concert that followed was the best they ever did.